With Beerschot starting the 2020-2021 season in the First Division, we look back at our club’s history and turn the spotlight on a corresponding fixture from yesteryear…
Today: Beerschot - Eupen, season 2017-2018
“GRACIAS HERNAN”: LOSADA’S FINAL GAME AS A PLAYER
In our search for an exceptional Beerschot v Eupen game there was only one option really: the confrontation of 2018, where emotion got the better of football itself. On the 19th of May of that year Hernan Losada ended his playing career. And our club waved him goodbye with an unforgettable evening. A hero’s tribute it was.
The match itself was just an ordinary Play-Off 2 ‘must play’ game with no importance at all. Which meant the focus was on Hernan Losada and nothing or no one else. Beerschot had created special “Gracias Hernan” shirts for the players to wear on the night, free tickets were handed out, the stadium was covered in purple, the fans waved their flags and banners, Hernan’s dad was flown in from Buenos Aires as a special guest,… In short: our current coach was the centre of attention and clearly moved and overwhelmed.
On top of that Hernan brightened the night up with a faultless performance, scoring one goal and setting up two more for his team mates. The perfect ending for an extremely gifted footballer who had been adopted by the Beerschot family and was considered as “one of us”.
Let’s describe the three beautiful goals as a token of respect for our Argentinian maestro. With an inch perfect pass he set up Kule Mbombo for number one. With an unstoppable drive he scored number two himself. And finally it was his assist from which Rubin Okotie netted Beerschot’s third goal. Impressive stuff.
Two minutes before the end Losada got his well deserved ‘honorary substitution’ with a standing ovation from the crowd, a lap of honour, celebrated off the pitch on his team mates’ shoulders, a nice hug from his dad… and lots of tears of happiness, gratitude and respect. What a way to bow out.
SATURDAY 19 MAY 2018 – OLYMPIC STADIUM
KFCO BEERSCHOT WILRIJK – AS EUPEN 3 – 1
ATTENDANCE: 5.150
REFEREE: Delferière
GOALS: 16’ Mbombo 1-0, 28’ Toyokawa 1-1, 74’ Losada 2-1, 84’ Okotie 3-1
BEERSCHOT: Romo (85’ Nolle), Van den Bergh, Prychynenko, Swinkels, Dom, Maes, François, De Jonghe, Losada (88’ Schaessens), Mbombo, Zoua (68’ Okotie)
EUPEN: Niasse, Wagué, Peybernes, Blondelle, Ocansey, Valiente, Diagne, Lazare Amani (85’ El Harrak), Toyokawa, Koné, Diallo (72’ Raspentino)
YELLOW CARDS: Valiente, Swinkels, Diagne
Some facts and figures. Hernan Losada’s career started in Buenos Aires at the Youth Academies of CA Barracas Central and Independiente, where he progressed to the first team. He then moved to Universidad de Chile and arrived at Beerschot in 2006, as part of the Argentinian invasion together with Daniel Quinteros, Gustavo Colman, Patricio Gonzalez and Victor Figueroa. In two seasons at Germinal Beerschot he played 52 games, scoring 14 times. Anderlecht lured him to Brussels for a rather unsuccessful period. He then played for Heerenveen in Holland and came back to Belgium where he starred in midfield at Charleroi. In 2011 he returned to Beerschot AC for two seasons (57 games, 18 goals) where he became part of one of the darkest episodes in our history, with relegation and the club’s bankruptcy. As a free agent Losada then opted for Lierse, but two years later started his third spell in the Olympic Stadium. With KFCO Beerschot Wilrijk and Beerschot VA he was a key player in the rise from Division 3 to Division 1B. As a coach he clinched promotion to Division 1A last season. Which is more than enough to claim a honorary seat in our history book.
Gracias Hernan!
By Danny Geerts
